Anything could happen
by Newgirlystuff
Summary: Nick is there for Jess on their first Valentine's Day as roommates. She comes up with an idea he can't turn down.
1. The offer

**So I decided to turn this oneshot into a short story that will have five or six chapters max. Sorry to the ones that have already read this, it's not new. Let me know your thoughts!**

**Oh, and just a heads up; it's rated M (very light M, but still), so read at your own discretion.**

**What If..**. it had been Nick, and not Schmidt, at the loft at the end of "Valentine's Day"?

* * *

_"Jess, you don't want your first one-night stand to be with some total stranger. You've got to pick someone who's not gonna make a big deal out of the whole thing. And... whatever you do, leave immediately afterwards."_

"Right, I guess you're right."

"Of course I am", Nick grinned and squeezed her shoulder.

After an awful evening with Julia (his romantic plan had backfired and she'd decided to break up with him- _Happy Valentine's to me!_), he'd bumped into Jess in the hallway. He'd told her about his breakup, and then she'd told him about her equally awful date, trying to laugh the whole thing off, but Nick knew she was only trying to hide her emotions away again. He'd tried to comfort her, blaming Schmidt for leaving her alone and laughing when she told him about their friend's _"Youths everywhere!"_ outburst.

"Ugh! Then I guess I won't be needing these anytime soon", Jess opened her bag and pulled the box of condoms out. Nick widened his eyes in horror as he eyed the package, his mouth hanging open.

"Jess? Are you sure... I mean, are you sure you know how to use condoms?"

Rolling her eyes, she shook the box. "Yeah, I know. Schmidt told me you guys can only go for it twice, three times tops. But I'd already bought this box."

Shaking his head, he chuckled. "You're really one of a kind, Jess."

She smiled at him and lowered her eyes to the floor. Nick pinched his nose and sighed. "Hey, I think I'm going to go to bed. You OK to be alone?"

"Sure. I'll try to get some sleep too", she answered.

"Hm. Just remember what I told you before, alright?", he said, already turning his back to her as he headed for his room. "Night, Jess", he said, the sound of his door closing muffling her answer.

As she was left alone, Jess clutched the box of condoms to her chest, Nick's words replaying on her head. _You've got to pick someone who's not gonna make a big deal out of the whole thing. Never a stranger. _Bitting her lip, she widened her eyes as a thought crossed her mind.

_Did he...? Would he...? _

Staring at his closed door, she grinned. He was her friend, after all, so not a stranger there. And then... there was something different between them. She loved all of her three roommates, sure, but Nick an her shared something special, something she couldn't quite put a label on. But she knew it was there. And she was sure he knew it too_. And he's single now, isn't he?_

Looking down at herself, she straightened her short pants and took off her shoes, careless throwing them along with the box into her room. Walking inside, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. All claded in black, her hair loose around her shoulders and her eyes smokey. Her hands pushed her shirt a little bit down, exposing the tops of her breast. Glad she was wearing the push-up bra Cece had forced her to buy, she smiled at herself and spun around, looking over her shoulder. Following the line of her back, she wiggled her butt and chuckled at the sight. She lowered her pants and removed the black tights, quickly putting her pants back on. A devilish grin creeping over her face, she poked her head outside the room and breathed deeply.

_Why not him?_

Her decision already made, she grabbed the box of condoms and marched over to his room, stopping at the door. Raising her hand, she stopped herself before knocking and took a deep breath. Starting to feel unsure about her plan, she chewed on her lower lip. Memories of Nick and her together over the past year started to fill her mind, and she smiled as he thought of her clumsy, grumpy, but very attractive roommate. She was pretty sure she'd never had that connection with a guy, and she just... Couldn't miss such a chance.

_So why not him?_

Taking another deep breath, she opened his door and pushed herself into his room. Lying on his bed, Nick had his arms across his face, but he immediatly sat up, startled at the sound.

"Fuck, Jess! What are you doing?", he said, his hand clutching his chest. "You scared the hell outta me!"

"Sorry! I'm so sorry!", she yelled back, frozen in place.

Standing up, he rounded the bed and approached her. Hands on his hips, he stared at her questioningly. "What?", he said, his voice a lower tone.

Shyly, she held the box of condoms up and waved it in front of his face.

"I was thinking that maybe...", she said, suggestively.

"Maybeeee...what?", he said, clearly not following. "You actually don't know how to use them, do you?"

"No, it's not that. You see, what you said before..."

"What?"

"I just thought... Maybe you and me could...shake things up a little bit?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, his eyes widened as he understood her intention.

"What? Are you...?", his eyes got even bigger when he noticed the box in her hands. _She wants to have sex with me!_

"What do you say? Are you in or are you out?", she said, walking over to his nighstand and placing down the box she was holding.

"Am I... Jess, are you listening to yourself now?"

"Why?"

"Because you sound crazy, that's why!" _Why am I even trying? Just say yes already!_

"Why? I'm just following your advice, Nick!"

"You don't... That's not how it works, Jess. We're friends!"

"Uh...Yeah! Which makes you not a stranger, right?"

"Jess, we can't do this. It could ruin everything we have so far..."

"Or we could get something amazing! People do this all the time!"

"Do what?"

"The 'friends with benefits' thing!"

"Friends with... Wait, you want to do it more than once?". _Yes, yes, yes. Do it. Just say yes._

"Well, yeah. Maybe. I guess so, yeah. What, can't you take it, Miller?"

"Me? Meh. I'm a guy, Jess. I'm perfectly fine with meaningless sex with beautiful women", he said, using the same words she'd used with him months before and watching her blush. "You're the one that can't compartmentalize and separate sex from love!"

"Who says that?"

"Come on, Jess. Admit it."

"There's nothing to admit, Nick. I'm offering you sex. We would be just two friends who ocassionaly have sex. Can you take it or not?", she dared. " Do you want it or not?", she lowered her voice and took a step forward and closer to him.

"You're on, Jessica". Stepping closer, he framed her face with his hands and captured her lips between his, quickly forcing his tongue inside her mouth. His hands grabbed her hips as her arms went around his neck, drawing him closer as she melted into the kiss. Spinning her around, he started pushing her towards his bed, stopping when her legs hit the mattress. "You sure?", he asked, breathlessly. She grabbed his shirt and let herself fall onto the bed, pulling him down with her and resuming their kissing. "Guess that's a yes", he muttered between kisses. Hooking her leg around his waist, she rolled them on the bed and straddled his lap, her hands quickly lifting his shirt. He sat up and she pressed their chests together while nibbling on his lip.

Nick's hand sneaked between their bodies and he managed to get rid of her shirt, his eyes darkening as they leveled with her breasts. Starting to kiss and nip at the skin there, he heard her deep moan and felt her hand pulling at his hair. "God, Nick", she mumbled, her head falling back. Not wasting any time, he unsnapped her bra and let it fall down her arms. "You're beautiful, Jess", he whispered, and then his mouth was back on her breast. But then, in a second, she forced his head up and started pulling his jeans and boxers down his legs, while he unzipped her pants and threw them across the room. Jess started rubbing herself against him, pushing him on his back and placing her hands on his chest to steady herself. Aware that her panties were the only barrier between them, his hand shot to the nighstand were she'd placed the condoms. Blindy reaching for one, he smiled when she grabbed the condom from him and rolled it down on him. Then, she lifted herself lightly off him and removed her underwear, sighing when she felt him against her core.

"Last chance to stop this, Miller."

Grinning, he leaned forward and sucked on her lip. "No problem here, Day".

Nodding her head, she saw him maneuvering between their bodies as he placed himself at her opening. Without warning, he pushed inside and she groaned loudly at the sudden intrusion. Stilling inside her, he grabbed her hips and waited for her to adjust to his size. Trying not to move, he focused on her face. Her eyes were closed and there was a light blush to her cheeks, and to Nick, she'd never looked more beautiful than then.

"Open your eyes, Jess."

The sound of his voice was enought for her to snap, and she started moving her hips slowly, soft moans leaving her throat. They found their rhythm easily, and it wasn't long before they both felt the familiar feeling of a building climax. Wanting to slow things down, Nick rolled her on her back, ignoring her soft protest, and felt her legs going around his waist, as her feet started digging into him. Aware that they were both way past the point of no return, he increased his tempo while kissing the line of her neck, and was soon feeling the muscles around him starting to clench. Jess arched her back and muffled a scream against his shoulder, her nails raking over his back as she marked him. It only took Nick a few more trusts before he followed her, whispering her name over and over. And then he collapsed on top of her, exhausted and spent.

Pulling out of her body, he rolled to his side and stared at the ceiling, as they both tried to calm their breathing. He disposed of the condom and fell back against the pillows, looking at her relaxed form. Turning her body to him, she smiled.

"That was...so much better than expected!"

"What?", he frowned, looking at her confused.

"You were right! You are good in bed, Nick!", she chuckled.

Resting his head on one hand, he started tracing the curve of her hip. "Told ya."

Smiling, she closed her eyes and lingered on his touch. When she opened them, she was met with his stare.

"Hey, Jess? We're OK now, aren't we? I mean...this isn't gonna be weird, right?"

"Of course not! But we can still...do this?"

"It's fine by me!", he said, and she playfully pushed him back.

"Then I guess...I better be going", she sat up and scanned his room, looking for her clothes. Getting out of his bed, she grabbed her underwear and put it back on, smiling as she saw him staring at her from his position on his bed. "Like what you see?"

"Obviously", he grinned. When she was dressed, she approached Nick's side of the bed and sat down on it, as he moved his body to make room for her. "This was great, Nick."

"Yeah, it really was."

Giving him a quick peck on the lips, she stood up and started walking towards his door. "See you tomorrow, then?"

Nodding his head, he smiled at her. "Sure thing, Jess". Watching her dissappear behind his door, he slumped back on the pillows and covered his eyes with his arms. Glancing at his nightstand, he stared at the box she'd left there. Her fruity smell all over his now empty sheets, he sighed and punched the mattress. _This is not going to be enough._

Meanwhile across the hall, Jess was tucked under her cold sheets, trying to convince herself that everything would be the same in the morning, but knowing that was not what she wanted. Sighing, she buried her face on the pillows. _This is not going to be enough._

**FIN**

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**Next chapter will be up tomorrow!**


	2. Friends with Benefits

_A week later..._

Nick Miller laid on his back, staring at the ceiling as his breathing returned to normal. Turning his head to the side, he smiled as he saw his roommate, now lover, looking at him with a giant grin splattered on her face.

"Wow!", she laughed, rolling to her side and propping herself up on an elbow. "They definetely heard us this time!"

"And whose fault is it?", he chuckled, and she grinned. Reaching out to her, he pulled her body on top of his and kissed her, feeling her smile against his lips. His hands traced down her back and she placed her legs on each side of his body, his sheet covering their bodies. Suddenly, she pulled back and pushed herself to a sitting position, her naked chest exposed to him. He groaned and tried to get her back to his lips, but failed miserably. Sitting straight, his arms went around her as he buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"Hey! What time is it?", Jess reached for his alarm clock, dropping it on the bed when she felt his lips starting to suck and nip at her skin_. Maybe this way she'll get the message_. "Nick...God, Nick... You need to stop that". Ignoring her weak protest, his hands started massaging her breasts, and with a whimper, she bated his arms away. "I'm supposed to meet Cece in less than an hour", she explained, rolling away from his body and kicking the sheets aside. She picked up her discarded dress and put it on, not bothering with her underwear. "I'm going to take a quick shower".

"Ugh! It's Saturday! Can't you just meet her some other day?"

Smiling, she approached him and pecked his lips. "You know I can't do that. If I keep postponing our plans, she'll end up finding out about us."

"Shit."

"What?", she asked, starting to walk away from him.

His arm shot out and he grabbed her arm, forcefully pulling her down onto the bed and kissing her neck. "I hate it when you're right", he said, fixing his eyes on her face. Grabbing his face, she kissed him deeply and broke away.

Smiling, she gently pushed him back and stood up. "I'll be gone for the whole evening. I promised her we would go to that new mall they opened on the 5th. Guess who's gonna come back with plently of new lingerie", she said.

"Red or black", he chuckled. "It looks great on you. Every time I see you on those colors, I just..."

"Stop it right there, Mister. I'm going. Make sure the guys don't find my underwear there", she pointed at the floor. Blowing a dramatic kiss at him, she opened his door and sneaked to the bathroom, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Groaning, he fell back into the pillows and turned his head to the side_. 3:47 pm. _Closing his eyes, he allowed his mind to go back to just a few nights before. She'd come to his room with a very unique proposition he was unable to turn down. She'd offered him sex. Plain, but simple; no strings attached sex. _What kind of guy would turn that down?,_ he thought to himself. _Maybe the kind of guy that knows this will backfire sooner rather than later._ Sighing, he pinched his nose and sat up. Twelve times. They'd had sex twelve times. Looking around his room, he noticed there wasn't a single surface they hadn't done it on: his door, his bed, the wall, the floor.. Even his desk. And her room hadn't escaped their activities; even the shower had witnessed one of their passionate encounters. He smiled at that particular memory: Winston had been seconds away from walking in on their loud makeout session, but he had managed to keep themselves from making any sounds.

He was surprised none of the roommates had found out about them- _Jess was freaking loud_, he smiled to himself. Something about it being kept a secret made it even more exciting. Jess would wear her tightest dresses, low cut shirts and extremely short skirts, bumping into Nick and touching him lightly whenever their friends were in the room. She would stare directly at him, licking her lips or tracing the side of her neck with her fingertips. Just enough to set his body on fire.

And then, whenever they were alone... Everything exploded. They devoured each other, kissing and sucking every piece of skin they could find and barely managing to reach stable surfarces before he was inside her, making her moan and cry out in pleasure each and every time. Their hands everywhere, as they both tried to muffle the screams that threatened to give them away. But then it was over, just as fast as it had begun. They would retreat to their bedrooms, go out for drinks, or go to work, depending on the time. And ignoring the repetitive voice in their heads telling them they were going to get hurt.

_Doesn't matter,_ Jess thought. Opening her drawer, she pulled out a new set of underwear and dropped the wet towel that was covering her body. When she'd gone to him those nights ago, she hadn't thought it would turn out to be the most amazing experience of her life._ I think I might be addicted to it._ Groaning, she finished getting dressed and applied some make up, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Anyone that saw her right now wouldn't be able to tell just an hour ago she was naked and writhing under her roommate. Supressing a shiver, she grabbed her purse and opened her door, quickly stepping outside.

_This whole thing is ridiculous. We can stop it whenever we want,_ she thought, while staring at his closed door. But the thing was, she didn't want to. The few moments that they spent together were like a liberation to her. She still had her friend, who would listen to her complaining over work, and then she had... An incredible sex partner_. Partner? He is not just my partner or friend, he is..._ Starting to blush, Jess didn't notice Schmidt approaching her, holding a spoon and a big fancy ice cream.

"Jess? Are you OK?"

Snapping out of her trance, she turned her head and smiled at her friend. "Sure, Schmidt. I'm going to go meet Cece."

"Right, Cece. Well, I'm going to enjoy a quiet evening here at the loft, so I would appreciate it if you were able to keep it to yourself if you decided to bring him back to the apartment."

"What?", Jess said, trying to hide the surprise in her voice.

Grinning, Schmidt clucked his tongue. "I heard you last night. You got yourself some, now didn't you?"

"Oh...So you heard?", she asked, playing it cool.

"Of couse I did, Jessica. The entire building did. Now, the real question is, who is he?", he asked, stuffing a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth.

"You don't know him", she replied quickly. Almost _too_ quickly.

"And are you planning on introducing us to him? Maybe you could bring him to the bar, and..."

"No, I don't think so. We're not that serious, you know? I followed your advice", she said, forcing a smile. "No strings attached!", she sang, opening her arms and bowing down lightly.

"That's my girl!", Schmidt high-fived her and walked to the couch. "Just remember, if you ever need advice...come to me", he pointed at himself and grinned. "Because you won't find anyone better."

Nodding her head, she clutched her purse and walked to the door, praying for Schmidt not to ask anymore questions. Turning the knob, she waved at him.

"Have fun! And don't forget to use protection, you crazy head!", he yelled from the couch, watching the door close. Turning his attention to the TV, he heard and saw Nick coming out of his room and head to the kitchen.

"Well hello there, my dear!", he greeted. "Won't you join me here? I was thinking of watching a movie", he said, completely oblivious to what was going on.

"Sure", Nick muttered, grabbing a beer and slumping against the couch.

"Now do you look like hell! You look disgusting!", he said, scrunching his nose. "You do know we have a shower in the house?".

"Yeah, sorry about that. I'll take a shower later, I was taking a nap."

"You couldn't get any sleep either?"

"What?"

"Didn't you hear Jess last night?"

_Fuck_. "Uhm, no, I didn't."

"Well, you must be deaf. She followed my advice", he grinned and pointed at himself again, "and apparently, she's now having sex with some random guy. She doesn't want us to meet him, though, so I wonder if he's one of those weirdos she attracts. She surely has the ability to attract either..."

"Schmidt", Nick interrupted. "I really don't care about Jess' sex life. Are we watching a movie or what?". He could feel the sweat pooling in his back, and shifted on the couch._ Please, please, just change the subject._

"You and your terrible manners. How come you never get D-bagged?", Schmidt got up fron the couch and placed a movie on the DVD, sitting back down.

"I was only informing you of our roommie's nightly activities?"

"Did you just say roommie? What are you, twelve? That's why you get D-bagged, dude."

"Shush now", Schmidt said, as the credits appeared on screen. His face lighting up, he was unaware of his friend next to him, who had a million thoughts clouding his mind. None of them had anything to do with the movie, but with the beautiful brunnette that was starting to make her way into his heart.


	3. Unexpected meeting

**Kind of a fill-in chapter. Nothing major, but there's smut for all of you dirty minds. I promise I know what I'm doing, though. I'm going somewhere with this, you'll just have to wait and see.**

**Enjoy it!**

* * *

Another week had passed, and nothing seemed to have changed. Nick and Jess were still friends; they laughed together, they teased each other and watched movies with the rest of the roommates. But they were still that kind of friends who would rip each others' clothes off whenever they were alone, engaging in hot, wild sex. It wasn't tender between them, they were rough and lustful, even desperate. With no trace of sweetness- they weren't making love, right?

_And it's fine by me. _Jess was rummaging through her closet in search of a dress. The guys were going over to Clyde's, just like every Friday night, and she had decided to join them. She lazily skimmed her hand over some of the flimsy dresses, looking for something that would get his attention. A wicked grin splattered across her face when the perfect item caught her eye. Grabbing the hanger, she pulled the dress out of the closet and threw it down on her bed, quickly undressing until she was in nothing but her bra and panties.

Walking to the mirror, she arranged her soft curls in a loose bun and applied some eyeliner and mascara, her vibrant blue eyes sparkling with excitement. Then, she turned around and carefully slipped the red dress over her head, making sure not to smear her make up. She tugged at the bottom, and smiled at the way it hugged her curves tightly. The dress ending halfway down her thighs, she stepped into her black heels just as Schmidt's voice rumbled throught the walls. _"We're leaving in five!"_

Taking one last look at herself in the mirror, she grabbed her purse and left her room, ready to go out for the night. Stepping in the hall, she was met with Winston's whistles and Schmidt's popping eyes. " Who let the dirty slut out of the slut house?", he said, as he high-fived her. "You're getting laid tonight, aren't you?", he exclaimed excitedly. "Did you finally invite mistery guy to come with us? Should I change my outfit?"

"Schmidt!", Jess chuckled. "I didn't invite anyone, I'm planning on staying with you guys."

"Then why the slutty dress?", Schmidt insisted, looking her up and down.

"What? Can't a girl just enjoy some sexy clothes every once in a while?", she said, batting her long eyelashes at him.

"Whatever. Guys will be hitting on you the whole night", he whined. "They won't let us enjoy ourselves!"

"We'll just sit in one of the booths, Schmidt. Stop complaining already", Jess said, pulling on his sleeve and dragging him out the front door. "I really need a drink. This week has been terrible."

And with that, the three of them got into the elevator, arguing over whose car to take and who would drive it to the bar.

* * *

His eyes were on her the minute she came into view. He followed her movements from his position behind the bar, and barely noticed Schmidt approaching him to get their drinks.

"Dude. Dude!", Schmidt snapped his fingers in front of his face. "Close your mouth, please!"

"What?", Nick mumbled, without tearing his eyes off Jess. She waved her hand at him, as did Winston, and they both sat down in one of the empty booths.

"She looks hot, doesn't she? She swore to me she just wants to hang with us, but honestly, I think..."

"What can I get you?", Nick interrupted, turning his attention to Schmidt.

"Water, pink wine, Manhattan. Winston is driving", he shrugged his shoulders at Nick's questioning look. "Will you be joining us?"

"I don't think so. It's just Big Bob and me tonight, and we're busy." Watching his friend puppy-eyeing him, he sighed. "Maybe later", he said, handing him the water and the wine. Turning his back to Schmidt, he started mixing the ingredients for the cocktail.

Grinning, Schmidt tried to resume his previous rambling. "Do you happen to know anything about this guy Jess is boning?"

_Shit. Here it goes again_. "Ugh, man! Why would I know anything?"

"Because you are her 'closest friend', right?", he answered, air quoting.

"She hasn't said anything", Nick said bitterly, placing the drink in front of his friend.

"Well, she's not going home alone tonight", Schmidt grinned again.

"What do you mean?", Nick frowned and followed Schmidt's eyes, fixed on a group on young men that were blatantly staring at Jess.

Standing up, Schmidt managed to grab their drinks and started to walk towards their booth. "Try not to take too long to come."

Nick watched his friends cheering when their drinks arrived, clinking their glasses together. His stare was met with her eyes, and a smile crept on her face. Licking her lips, she whispered something to the guys and stood up, smoothing her dress and leaving the booth. Looking directly into his eyes, she smiled and started walking towards the restrooms. Aware that men were turning their heads to look at her, she swayed her hips while walking away from the mob. Without thinking, he stepped out of the bar and followed her into the crowd, trying to calm his breathing._ Are we really going to do this?, _he thought, as his feet continued blindly taking him after her.

Just as he rounded the corner, he bumped into Jess, her delicate smell filling his nostrils. Their eyes met briefly before she grabbed his shirt and pushed him into the ladies, locking the door behind them. He lifted her up and pushed her into the wall, her arms going around his neck as their lips connected. His hands grabbed her ass and she wrapped her legs around his waist for support, sneaking a hand between their bodies so she could reach his belt buckle. His left hand travelled up her body as he pulled her dress down, exposing her bra to his eager mouth. His lips glued to her skin, he pushed the bra down and buried her face between her breasts, smelling her in before he moved his lips to her nipple.

"I missed you so much", she whispered, feeling his hot lips teasing her skin. "Me too", he mumbled, realizing that those were the first words they'd spoken that night. He felt his jeans and boxers around his feet and supressed a moan on her shoulder. "Fuck!", he muttered, as she threw her head back and rubbed herself against him.

"Nick, please...", she said, her eyes filled with want and need. He managed to move her panties to the side and pushed inside her, stilling for a moment and trying to clear the buzzing in his ears. When he opened his eyes, his heart skipped a beat at the sight of her, flushed and panting. As he absorbed her beauty, not wanting to take his eyes off her, he started moving. His hand tangled in her hair, messing her bun, before he placed his palm flat against the wall to support her weight. "I want you so much", she whispered in his ear. Then, her head rolled back into the wall and his hand shot out to her neck, pressing their foreheads together as he thrusted deeper into her body.

She leaned forward and kissed him, her moans starting to fill the small space they were confined in. He sucked on her lower lip as he encouraged her to keep her eyes open. "Come on, Jess. Just let go", he whispered against her skin, dropping his hand to her core and rubbing the spot where their bodies were joined. She moaned and arched her back, and he could feel her starting to clench around him. Her body went rigid beneath him as she began to cry out his name, muffling her screams against his hand. Wave after wave of relief washed through her body, and after a few deep thrusts, he grunted and followed her.

"God", he said, resting his forehead against her. "That was amazing. And fast."

"Just what we needed", she laughed, still up against he wall.

Chuckling, he lowered her legs to the floor as they rearranged their clothing. "Wow...I really made a mess", he said, pointing at her hair. "Sorry."

Smiling, she turned around and combed her curls through her fingers. "It's OK. I know you like it like this better", she teased, pecking his lips. When she pulled back, she gave him a worried look. "You ready to go? The guys are probably wondering what took me so long..."

"Yeah, sure", he answered, feeling the cold curtain around them again. "Let me just...", he buckled himself up again and nodded his head. "Let's get out of here. Oh, and we have to be careful. Schmidt heard us the other night, he just doesn't know the guy was...me."

"I know", she sighed. "He keeps asking questions all the time."

He laughed. "We'll just try and be less loud next time. Now let's get out."

"Hey, Nick?", she said, stopping his hand at the doorknob. "I'm really into this, you know?".

"Me too, Jess. Me too", he smiled at her and for a moment, it seemed like they were enchanted by each other. But the furious knocking on the door snapped them out of their trance, and they blushed as they came face to face with an amused and lightly tipsy client.


	4. Stop this

**Please don't hate me! Next chapter is almost ready, so it'll be up soon. **

**Enjoy and let me know your thoughts!**

* * *

As Jess returned to her table, Nick went back behind the bar and ignored Big Bob's knowing looks. They would ocassionaly glance at each other and smile, but immediatly break eye contact. It was indeed a pretty busy night, being Friday, and people were starting to get drunk. The dance floor was crowded with sweaty bodies grinding into each other. Supressing a chuckle, Nick threw a cloth over his shoulder and turned around to take yet another order.

"Nick Miller? Is that you?"

_Oh, God, no. _"Alison?". _Alison Daniels._ _The very first girl he ever..._

"Oh, my God, Nick! This is unbelievable!", the young woman said, leaning across the bar and forcing him into an awkward hug. Letting go of him, she kissed his cheek and shook her head.

"Who would have thought... This is unbelievable!", she repeated, clapping her hands together in excitement.

"It sure is... What are you doing in LA? I thought you said you'd never leave Chicago!", Nick said, his eyes going back and forth between Alison and Jess. Had she noticed her? _Of course she has,_ Nick thought, as a pair of piercing blue eyes stared at him from the distance.

"Well, you know... That was years ago! I got this amazing offer at my job that required me to leave the city, you know? Higher salary and stuff? So I thought...why not? It was either here or Boston, and I decided to come and see what this whole California fuss was about. And now...here I am. What about you, Nick? What brought you here?"

* * *

Jess was staring intently at her now empty drink, trying to stop herself from staring at Nick and the beautiful woman who was currently and blatantly flirting with him. The few glances she had casted towards them had made her cheeks blush, and she feared either Winston or Schmidt would notice. Playing with the napkin, she pretended to be interested on what her friends were discussing- _something about a soccer player?-_

_"_Oh, My!", Winston exclaimed. "You guys, look at that", he said, pointing at Nick.

"Well, hello there!", Schmidt raised a tipsy finger. "Why would such a beautiful lady show any interest on Nick?"

"No, Schmidt, that's _the _girl. She's Alison Daniels."

"Ohhh", Schmidt widened his eyes and turned his head back.

"Who?", Jess said, hearing her own trembling voice.

"She's the girl Nick lost his virginity to. They dated for a while before we moved to LA. You know, right before he met Caroline", Winston explained. "I wonder what she's doing here...", he mumbled, more to himself than to his friends.

"Well, if I were Nick...I would definetely try to get back into her pants!", Schmidt chuckled, clearly amused.

"Looks like he got her number...", Winston smiled, his eyes fixed on Alison's hands, fastly typing in Nick's phone. When she handed it back and smiled at him, Schmidt clincked his glass with Jess'.

"Yeah, bro! Toast to our beloved brother, who might get back to having sex with someone other than his hand!"

As Winston protested, Jess stood up quickly. "Bathroom", she muttered.

"Again? Jess, you OK?", Winston said, a concerned look on his face.

"I just need to freshen up a bit. I'm fine", she said, and left the booth in a rush.

Schmidt shrugged his shoulders and drank down his glass, slamming his hand on the table. "Time to go. I have a meeting next Monday and I'm planning on rehearsing tomorrow morning."

"Rehearsing? You rehearse your meetings?", Winston rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I think you need a girlfriend." Standing up, he ignored Schmidt's protests and approached the bar.

"Hey...Nick?", he said, his eyes back and forth between Alison and him. "We're leaving. Here you go", he handed him a couple bills and arched his eyebrows.

"Already? I thought you guys would stay a little longer..."

"Nah, man. Schmidt's being a pain in the ass, so we're taking him home."

"Oh, right. Well, you remember Alison?", he said, smiling in her direction. "He's Winston."

"Right!", she exclaimed, hugging him. "Wow, you have changed a lot since I last saw you. Nick told me you're living together?", she said, smiling brightly at him.

"Yeah...", Schmidt's voice popped up from behind Winston. "I'm Schmidt, I live with them too." Shaking her hand, he winked his eye at Nick and was met with a frown.

Watching Jess push her way through the crowd, Winston nodded his head. "It was nice seeing you, Alison."

"Wait! Can't you guys stay here and have a drink? I came here with some friends, we could have a few laughs."

Schmidt grinned and was about to reply when Winston cut in. "No, thank you. We better get going, I think Jess might be sick to her stomach", he said, looking at Nick. "She's our other roommate", he explained, as he pointed at her approaching figure.

"Hey!", she said, joining the small group. Ignoring both Nick and Alison, she smiled at Winston. "I take it we're leaving?"

"Hi! I'm Alison", the girl interrupted, smiling at Jess. "I'm an old friend of Nick's. You're Jess, right? Nice to meet you!", she rambled, shaking her hand strongly.

_Ugh! Why does she talk that much? And why does she smile all the time?. "_Yeah, nice to meet you", she said, faking a smile. Turning her attention back to Winston, she widened her eyes expectantly.

"Uhm, yeah. Sorry, Alison. Maybe we could hang out some other time?"

"Sure! Nick's got my number!", she said, winking her eye at him. Jess felt an urge to punch her in the face and rolled her hands into fists. Nick tried to meet her eyes, but she was purposely avoiding his gaze as she stared at some point behind his back.

"Okay, then", Schmidt smiled and waved his hand, as his two friends followed him towards the exit.

Soon after Jess was sitting on the back of Schmidt's car, her eyes closed as she breathed slowly. Listening to the guys chatting animatedly about Alison only made her want to jump out of the car_. Why the hell does it bother me that much_?, she thought. _It's not like this was going to last. Maybe it's better this way_. As she stared out the window_,_ she wondered how she would confront Nick.

* * *

Sitting inside her closet, the sound of the front door closing made her jump to her feet. Buttoning up her pajamas, she walked to the bed and sat down, grabbing her book just as Nick knocked on her door and popped his head inside.

"Jess? Winston said you were not feeling right..."

"Nah, I just... Had to make up an excuse", she said, her eyes not leaving the page she was pretending to read. _I have to end this right now, _she thought, feeling a heavy burden on her chest.

Frowning, Nick pushed himself inside her room and closed the door behind him. _Just keep the conversation away from Alison. It might kill the mood. Not that she would care, though, _he thought, feeling a prick of sadness.

"You're OK, then?", he said, sensing something was off.

"Sure. Everything's fine", she said, closing the book and placing it on her nightstand.

"Sooo... It was nice earlier, right?", he kneeled on the other side of the bed. "That was a great dress you were wearing." He started to kiss down the line of her jaw until she pushed him back roughly. "Are you kidding me?"

"What?", he exclaimed. "What did I do?"

"Are you kidding me?", she repeated. "Winston told me about Alison."

_Shit_. "So what? She's an old friend, she moved here a couple years ago. We were catching up!"

"Right. I'm sure she just wants to catch up", Jess said, spitting the words. "I can't believe you really think that."

"Hey! Why do you care so much? What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing, Nick. I mean, we're not exclusive, but one would think you would at least wait to button up your pants before you tried to move on to another woman."

Realization hit him as he widened his eyes. "We're not exclusive? You think I want to sleep with her?"

"Well, what else would you want? She's _the_ girl, isn't she?", Jess said, standing up and placing her hands on her hips.

"Jess, I don't know what has gotten into you, but I'm starting to get tired of this shit", he stood up too and folded his arms across his chest. "I don't think I have to apologize or give any kind of explanation to you. We're just friends, aren't we?". _Lie, lie, lie_, was their thought. "Or am I getting something wrong?"

"No, Nick, you're right. But I'm the one who's tired. I think we should stop doing this." _There. I said it,_ she thought. But the heavy burden was still there.

Silence fell around them as her words sunk in. "Are you serious? You want to stop this because of her?", he asked, staring at her in disbelief.

"Yeah. I mean, we knew this wasn't going to last, right? We were just fulfilling our needs until someone better showed up. And now... That someone just showed up. We can go back to being regular friends", she said, the words cold and bitter.

"You can't be serious", Nick said. Watching her pale face completely lacking any emotions, he felt as if her room had suddenly darkened.

Rubbing his nose, he sighed. "That's what you want?"

Watching her nod, he cracked his knuckles. "OK, then. It's been a great couple of weeks, partner", he said, chewing on the last word. "Thank you for that", he said, slamming the door close. And just like that, Jess was left alone on her room feeling worse than ever. Falling down onto her bed, she buried her face between the pillows and cried, still not believing what had just happened.


	5. Fighting

**Hi again! I haven't forgotten What If...?, but I have just moved to the US and I don't have much time to write right now. But don't worry, I'm already working on next chapter. This short story will be completed next week. Enjoy! **

* * *

The next morning, Nick woke up to a silent loft. Rolling over on the bed, he took a glance at the clock. 7:48. Sighing, he rubbed his face and got up. He had to get out of the apartment before she woke up.

Opening his door, he quietly stepped into the hall and was soon out of the apartment. Meanwhile in her room, Jess opened her eyes at the sound of the frontodoor closing. She hadn't been able to stop replaying the moment where everything had shattered around them. _And for what?_, she thought. _Why did I get so angry all of a sudden?. _Sitting up on the bed, she threw her legs over the mattress and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and trying to clear her mind. But she couldn't keep him away from her thoughts. Groaning, she reached for her phone and dialed. She had to talk it out of her head. And there was only one person who would listen to her the way she needed.

* * *

Sitting on the couch, Jess kept casting nervous glancings at the door. Stuck between Winston and Schmidt, she flipped the pages of the magazine she'd been trying to read for the past hour. _Where is he_?. After talking to Cece over the phone, the model had taken no time in driving herself to the apartment so she could see her friend. Truth was, it all had helped Jess see things clearer.

"_You were jealous!"_

_"No, Cece, that's not it. It was more like...you know?"_

_"Jealousy?"_

_"Cece!"_

_"What? I'm still mad you didn't tell me about this whole thing."_

_"Cece, please. I really need your help. I don't know what to do next."_

_"Well, Jess... It's quite simple. Do you like him?"_

_"I don't...know."_

_"Oh, come on, now, Jess."_

_"What?"_

_"What? I've known you for almost twenty years. I know you better than you do. And I just know... I always knew you guys had like a special vibe around you. You just couldn't bring yourself to admit it."_

_"I...like him."_

_"See? It wasn't that hard! And according to your story, he might kinda like you too..."_

_"But that solves nothing!"_

_"Jess, first thing... What do you want from him?"_

_"I don't know. Ugh! I'm so confused!"_

_"Alright, honey. Do you want to go back to being just friends?"_

_"..."_

_"A simple no would have been enough. Jess, sweetie... Listen to me. You have to give this a chance. Talk to him, tell him how you feel."_

_"But... What if we're not on...the same page? Cece, I wouldn't be able to..."_

_"You are on the same page. I knew it the moment I met him. Just the way he looks at you, it's... It's it."_

_"And what if it's too late? You weren't here last night, Cece. He... Gave up."_

_"Because he thought that's what you wanted. It's not like he had much of a choice."_

_"..."_

_"Trust me, Jess. When he comes home, just talk to him. I promise you it'll be OK."_

The frontdoor opened to reveal Nick, wearing his favourite flannel shirt and dark jeans. Schmidt stood up immediatly and clucked his tongue, placing his hands on his hips and tapping on the floor.

"Finally!"

"What?"

"Where have you been? And why did you keep hanging up on me?", Schmidt said, moving his hands frantically. Winston chuckled lightly and Jess tried to meet his eyes, but he was staring at their screaming friend.

"Calm down, man. Just leave me alone", he muttered, and started walking towards his bedroom.

"There are some times when I honestly can't tolerate you!", Schmidt screamed, falling back onto the couch.

"I'm going to talk to him", Jess stood up and tried to control her trembling body. Her heart was pounding against her chest, and she could feel herself starting to blush.

Walking to his door, she knocked lightly and poked her head inside.

"Can I talk to you for a second?". At his nod, she closed the door and turned to look at him.

"Listen...", they both began. Smiling, he waited for her to continue.

"First... I wanted to apologize. Last night was awful, and it's all my fault and I'm sorry I acted like that", she said, her hand nervously pulling on her sleeve.

Holding his hand up, he stopped her. "It's OK, Jess. You were actually right. I mean... i wasn't expecting it, and I didn't like at first... But now I see you were right."

"I...was?", she asked, not liking the way the conversation was going."I was right? What do you mean?"

"Yeah, well... I called Alison this morning, and we had dinner together. I think she really is interested in me, so I'm the one who should thank you. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't even have considered dating her again."

Opening her eyes in shock, Jess tried to say something. But no words came out of her mouth. _Alison. He wants her._

"That's...great, Nick", Jess said, starting to feel her eyes cloud as a pain shot through her chest.

"I know, right? Who would have thought?", Nick said, smiling widely. _Too_ widely.

"Are you... Did you just do this to piss me off?, she said, hands on her hips.

_Bingo_. "What? Why would I do that?", Nick said, faking offense but not bothering with denial.

"I can't believe this! You...", Jess snapped her fingers.

"What? I thought this was what you wanted!", he yelled, feeling the anger from the night before coming back in a rush.

"Well, it's not, OK? It is not what I want! And I think it's not what you want either!"

"Are you crazy? Why would you say that?"

"Because, Nick!"

"Well, what if it is what I want?", he hissed, lowering his voice for the first time. Jess met his eyes through her teary orbs and shook her head, a humorless laugh leaving her throat. "I can't believe I came to you that night. It was the worst decision I've ever made."

"Oh really? And when exactly did you decide that? Last night, while we were up against the ladies wall?"

"Stop it!", she yelled, wiping her eyes clean.

"You are the one who came here to talk, Jessica! You are the one who came to me that night!". Watching her struggle with words, he pinched his nose.

"Jess, for the last time. What do you want?", he yelled, feeling his face burning with anger. He knew Winston and Schmidt could hear them, hell, maybe even Remy could hear them by now. But he didn't care; he was beyond pissed at...

"You, OK? I want you!"


	6. Finale

**Final chapter! Thanks to all of you who read and reviewed the story.**

**Next chapter of What If..? is already on the works, I'll try to upload it as soon as possible.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"What did you say?"

"I... Nothing". Jess looked down and felt her face blushing.

"Jess...", Nick took a step forward and forced her chin up, meeting her eyes and staring at her.

Sighing, she moved her head from his touch and rubbed her shoulder awkwardly.

"Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?", Nick asked.

"Yeah..." Jess was still trying to avoid his gaze. "But I know you want to get Alison..."

"I don't", he interrupted quickly. His heart started to beat harder against his chest, and he felt his palms starting to sweat. "Jess, I only called her because I was upset. I guess I was trying to piss you off, after all." Seeing her smiling lightly, he kept staring into her eyes. "Listen, Jess... When I agreed to this... I didn't think it would turn out to mean...", he stopped, unable to find the right words.

"A whole lot more than it was supposed to?", she finished for him, as he nodded his head. "I didn't either. But somehow this past days, I just realized... Would it be crazy if we tried to... You know?", she raised her eyebrows at him, and he smiled at the thought that even after all, she was still shy when it came to discussing_ funny bussiness._

"Try to what?", he said, frowning playfully, his previous anger and confusion gone.

She rolled her eyes and pushed him back. "You know what I mean."

"Of course. But I want to hear you say it. Just so there are no more misunderstandings."

Biting down on her lip, she smiled widely. "Do you think we can try to be in a relationship together?"

Scratching his face, he frowned. "Lemme think..."

"Oh just shut up!", she laughed, pushing his body back and folding her arms tightly against her chest. "You are the worst!"

"Come on!", Nick took a step forward, laughing before silence fell over them. Looking into her eyes again, he felt his chest swelling with a mixture of love and happiness. Walking up to her, he pressed his palm against her cheek and felt her soft skin. Opening his arms, he pulled her in and his arms went around her body. Burying his face on her shoulder, he breathed her in and heard the soft sigh that was muffled by his shirt.

"Hey...", he whispered. "Are we really doing this?"

"It would seem so, yeah", she smiled. "Crazy, huh?"

"Just... Unexpected", he said, her eyes never leaving his face.

Leaning forward, he captured her lips between his. His hands roamed over her back as they kissed, and her hands went around his neck as she tried to steady herself. This kiss was different; there was no hurry nor lust, it was slow and sensual. Breaking away, he let go of her waist and took her hands in his.

"Are you sure you're all in, Day?"

"Well of course I am!", she protested, and he laughed at her vehemence. "Are you?"

"You bet", he smiled. "Hey, Jess?"

"What?"

"I'm not letting you go away from me again." Grabbing his shirt, she pulled him to her and crashed their lips together, sighing against his mouth as she pressed herself to him.

"Good", she muttered, smiling as she buried her face on his neck again. "Because I'm not letting you go either."


End file.
